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The 2026 NFL season is here and a huge part of the excitement for this time of year is the return of fantasy football. There’s always the highest level of uncertainty in first week of the regular season, which makes it even more fun to make fantasy football predictions. Let’s dive into our bold fantasy football predictions for Week 1. Josh Allen Finishes Outside Top 10 QB in Points Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen finished with an ESPN average draft position of 19.0, first among quarterbacks and 17th overall. Managers who invested that amount of capital into him will start him in Week 1. We are just not confident that his production warrants being in the lineup this week. Last season, the Houston Texans defense held opponents to a 76.2 passer rating (third in NFL), 183.5 passing yards per game (sixth) and generated nearly as many interceptions (19) as passing touchdowns allowed (20) on 538 attempts. In his last two starts against Houston, Allen has mustered just a 62.2 passer rating with a 1.6 percent passing touchdown rate. Quite frankly, Houston’s defense could be even better this season. The upside is always there for the 2024 NFL MVP, but we think he finishes outside the top 10 in scoring this weekend. Related: Week 1 Fantasy QB Rankings Jaylen Waddle Finishes as a Top-5 WR The Kansas City Chiefs are introducing two new starting cornerbacks in 2026, rookie Mansoor DeLane and veteran L’Jarius Sneed. While Sneed’s first stint in Kansas City went very well, he allowed a 120.0 passer rating and 13.5 yards per completion last season with the Tennessee Titans. Both those matchups are music to the ears of Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. We can guarantee that Payton will see this Monday Night Football matchup at Arrowhead Stadium as an opportunity to exploit the Chiefs defense and potentially embarrass the Broncos’ rival on their home turf. One great way to do that? Explosive plays. There will be ample opportunities here for Jaylen Waddle, who we have ticketed for 120-plus receiving yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Related: Week 1 NFL Matchups We Can’t Wait to See Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall Each Put up 80+ Yards, TD Don’t underestimate this New York Jets offense, especially in this Week 1 matchup. The Tennessee Titans still have one of the league’s worst defenses, one that fantasy football managers should look to exploit on a weekly basis. Breece Hall will be running behind, at the very least, an above-average offensive line that will take another step forward this season. Meanwhile, Garrett Wilson finally has a viable starting quarterback to get him the football in Geno Smith. We’re thinking both Hall and Wilson find the end zone and put up 80-plus yards on Sunday. Read More: NFL Defense Rankings Entering Week 1 Tyler Shough Outscores Jayden Daniels We’re fading the entire Washington Commanders offense in 2026 until we see sustained signs of life. The offensive line is a mess, which creates even more concern for an offense being designed by a coordinator who started his coaching career just two seasons ago with this same team as an assistant quarterbacks coach and is now suddenly calling plays. On top of that, Jayden Daniels faces a top-five defense drawn up by an architect who excels at pressuring the passer. Quite frankly, we don’t think Tyler Shough will be the only lesser-known fantasy quarterback who outproduces Daniels in Week 1. It’s just worth highlighting his matchup, with the New Orleans Saints facing a Detroit Lions defense missing two starters in the secondary. Shough could be a top-12 play this week. HEADING Coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, running back Rico Dowdle is on his third NFL team in as many years. He’s been consistent in that two-year stretch, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 65.3 rushing yards per game, but clubs just view him as an effective part of a committee. That’s the situation he finds himself in now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Jaylen Warren will handle pass-catching duties and get a handful of carries per game. While that can make for a difficult decision for fantasy football managers in some weeks, that shouldn’t be the case here. The Atlanta Falcons figure to have one of the league’s worst offenses and starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa against Pittsburgh’s defense is a recipe for disaster. We think the Steelers will control this game from start to finish, allowing Dowdle to put up 80-plus scrimmage yards and find the end zone.